SAN FRANCISCO.

The Stinking Rose.

If you have even the slightest inclination that you may be a vampire, the Stinking Rose is not somewhere you should dine. It’s a restaurant that is entirely dedicated to garlic. Admittedly, the restaurant is slightly gimmicky – there’s nearly 3,000 garlic bulbs scattered around the restaurant’s whimsical dining areas, and the walls are adorned with murals by a local artist depicturing a garlic bulb’s view of San Francisco’s history and culture. If you can look past this and embrace the atmosphere, your senses are in for a treat.

To start it would be hard to look past the Bagna Calda. A simmering iron skillet served at your table full to the brim of roasted garlic cloves that are cooked in extra virgin olive oil and butter with a hint of anchovy. Slather as much as you dare on their homemade focaccia bread. I followed the appetizer with a potato and garlic creamed soup, and their famous 40 clove garlic chicken. It was frightful. It was incredible. I didn’t feel so well the next day – but it was most definitely worth it.

This is probably not the best place to go before spending a night on the prowl. But if you’re a foodie on the lookout for different things to try, I would highly recommend the Stinking Rose.